A Strange Visitor at Hogwarts
by Emiline
Summary: There are strange things going on at Hogwarts this year, is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named behind them? Or is it something stranger...
1. Default Chapter

It was a gloomy morning. Well, actually the sun was shinning brightly on Privet Drive with a light breeze, perfect Qudditch weather in Harrys opinion.  
  
The reason it was gloomy for Harry was that he was at the Dursleys. This was horrible for Harry because he would no doubt spend the day doing chores, and listening to Dudley complain about his unfair diet, unaware of the little chocolate spots located on his fat little chin and the corners of his pudgy little mouth. Harry would probably never even see the wonderful sunlight today. But, even though he was bound to be imprisioned in the house today with cleaner and paper towels, he couldn't let his spirits be dampered. Because Harry would be leaving the muggle world tomorrow and be on his way to visit his favorite family in the world, the Weasleys. Harry loved staying with the Weasleys at their, in Harry's opinion WONDERFUL, in Ron's rubbish, house labled The Burrow. The Burrow was full of magical things Harry never dreamed existed...Goblins, Garden nomes that walked around, and mirrors that complained at you when you didn't tuck in your shirt or comb your hair. The Weaslys thought of these as everyday things or pests, but Harry loved them!  
  
Harry was a little worried about the Weasleys arrival though. Uncle Vernon dispised magic and really dispised Harry and since the Weasleys were part of both, they weren't exactly welcome on number four Privet Drive. Harry had the feeling that the Dursleys were still affraid of Sirius Black (Harry's godfather and convicted murderer) to keep the Weasleys from coming to get Harry though. For Harry knew they had certainly NOT forgottan when Fred and George "accidentaly" gave Dudly a Ton Tounge toffee. Dudleys tounge turned a revolting purple color and reached the size of about 4 feet. Harry cleaned the entire day. All the while thinking of all the fun wizarding mischief he would be able to get himself into when he reached Ron's. As Harry laid his head down that night, a slow smile spread across his face as he was pulled farther and farther in to significant dreams.  
  
She was beautiful, her hair a gleaming gold that seeming to glow. Her smooth skin appeared flawless and her bright blue eyes seemed to take everything in, as though surveying all around her...and judging it with utmost superiority. Then, as quick as a flash, she was gone. Harry bolted upright in his bed, quite confused. Last year, he usually dreamt of things such as Quidditch...But this year was becoming more and more different. This had to be the third or fourth dream he had had about this girl. It was always the same girl, and she always seemed as though she were searching for something and he, alone, knew where it was. In his dreams he always tried to help her, but he was invisible to her. Harry shook his head and turned over, falling to sleep again quickly.  
  
The next morning, Harry woke to a very alarmed Hedwig. She was screeching and fluttering her wings sending soft, white feathers everywhere. Harry sat up, bleary-eyed, staring around at what could have caused Hedwig to make to a horrible racket. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Harry laughed at the thought of some dragon lurking around the corner of Privet Drive. Harry got up and went into the kitchen for breakfast. On the way down the stairs Harry recalled his "dream girl" from the previous night. "I wonder what it could mean..." he thought quietly to himself as he jumped the stairs two at a time. It wasn't that it was strange for Harry to dream about girls...He liked them very much... But this girl was no crush, and he wondered if maybe this dream, like some of his others, was prophetic.  
  
He shook the girl from his mind and sat down at the table. Uncle Vernon was sitting at the table, he face hidden beneath a newspaper and a cup of coffee in one hand. Aunt Petunia was daintily sipping hot tea, and Dudley was staring down at the Fruit&Grain bar that was placed in front of him. He picked up with a fat hand, and sniffed it. "Mummy...this thing wouldn't that nasty owl up in Harry's room..." He took it without unwrapping it and heaved it towad the television set in the kitchen. Causing the antenna to flip sideways and the television to turn a fuzzy black and white. Only when this occured did Uncle Vernon notice anything was askew, and roared "BOY, what do you think your doing throwing around food like that?! Were you born in a barn?!" Harry stifled mad giggles as he took a look around the table. Aunt Petunia had always had the uncanny ability to look like an osterach and a giraffe at the same time. Uncle Vernon, with his thick neck, always seemed like a wild boar or some other loud, fat animal. And Dudley, almost certainly, could pass for a barn-yard pig. "What's so funny, you?" Uncle Vernon grunted towards Harry's direction. "Oh, nothing..." Harry covered quickly, and for the most part successfully.  
  
"Oh!" Petunia gasped. "I didn't even notice you... There's some cottege chesse on the counter. You can eat that..." Harry stood up, and slouched over to the counter. There, lying in a blue bowl was the cottege cheese. Harry always thought it looked like tiny pieces of paper, put into a bowl of glue. He took it to the table and sighed as he put a spoon into the bowl, scooped some, and forced into his mouth. He forced it down, and repeated the same thing for maybe ten more mouthfuls. When he couldn't eat any more, he rose, but the dish in the sink, and walked up to his room and shut the door.  
  
Inside his room, Harry put his back against the door and whispered to himself "Only a few more weeks..." and then noticed an odd feathery clump on his bed. "Pig!" Harry yelped, causeing Pig to go haywire. As Harry quickly quieted him down, he untied the parchment from his foot. He opened up the note and read it:  
  
Hi Harry!  
  
What's up? It's pretty boring at our house. Except Fred and George are coming up with some great joke candy, you'll crack up when you see it, I reckon. Anyway, mum said that if you wanted to come over some time soon, that would be fine. Hermione's already here. Except all she talks about is Viktor...not that I'm jealous or anything. Because I'm not. Write back as soon as you get this and let us know if your comeing over.  
  
Ron 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry jumped up. Staying with Ron was always a blast. He ran down the stairs and walked, bouncing slightly over to Uncle Vernon who was sitting on the couch watching the news. "U-Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked timidly. Uncle Vernon would have to be in an excellent mood to agree to let Harry go, so Harry decided to see if Uncle Vernon was in a plesant mood before approaching him with his question. "What?" Vernon grunted still watching the televison set. Pleased with the answer, Harry proceeded. "I was just wondering, see, well, my friend Ron from school was just wondering if I might like so maybe stay over at his house for the rest of the summer...I would like to go, because I think that maybe, you know, I wouldn't be such a bother to you annd Aunt Petunia..." Uncle Vernon looked at Harry with mocking disbelief and was about to relpy in a what appeared to be a scathing manner, when Harry threw in a line he had used before. "My godfather, Sirius, you know the convict, would be really happy if I went." Uncle Vernon's eyes buldged slightly and his expression changed quickly. "Well, I, er, don't see why you couldn't go with your...friend. Make sure you tell your godfather you'll be going..." with that Uncle Vernon forced a smile onto his face. Harry grinned broadly and run upstairs to quickly reply to Ron's letter. As he re-read the letter, he was particularly amused by the part where Ron wrote  
  
"Hermione's already here. Except all she talks about is Viktor...not that I'm jealous or anything. Because I'm not."  
  
It dawned on Harry then. "Ron must like Hermione..." Harry thought. How could he have been so stupid?! Of COURSE Ron liked Hermione. He should have know at the Yule Ball! It was perfectly fine Ron to ask Fluer Delacour to the Yule Ball, but totally not for Hermione to go with Krum. Ron's excuse for being angry with Hermione had been that Krum was competing against Harry. But...so was Fluer. "Does Hermione know?" he wondered. Probably not, he decided. Nobody ever realizes when somebody fancies them. He should get them together, he thought. No, he shouldn't. He should just stay out of their buisness. Because if Hermione knew that Ron liked her, and she didn't like him, that would be embarressing for Ron. But then, if Hermione liked Ron back, it would be okay. The only thing to do, he said to himself, was to figure out whether or not Hermione liked Ron. That would be his mission once he reached Ron's. He scribbled down that he could come on a sheet of parchment, and asked when they could pick him up. At the bottom, Harry added, the sooner, the better. 


	3. Chapter 3

Three days later, after receiving a letter from Ron, setting the date and time of their arrival, Harry was putting the last of his Hogwarts belongings in his trunk. He places his brookstick servicing kit in and then shut it tightly. In about half and hour the Weasleys would be there, and he wanted to be ready to leave as soon as possible. The last few days of Harry's stay at the Dursley's before he left for Ron's hadn't been all that pleasant. Harry spent much of it cleaning, with Uncle Vernon standing behind him repeating every once and again, "A little cleaning never hurt anyone!"  
  
At last, after what seemed like an eternity, sitting on the couch, Harry saw the Ron, George, Fred, and Mr. Weasley burst into the living room out of thin air- all of them holding tightly to an old, wore-out sock. The Weasley's had decided to use a portkey this time, owing to the last time they collected Harry and tried to use Floo-powder. They all ended up stuck in the chimney, and it was a very unpleasant experience for all involved. "Hello" said Mr. Weasley nodding to Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, who were standing bracingly in front of Dudley near the door of the foyer. "Ready Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked picking up Hedwig's cage. Fred, George and Ron took one look at Dudley and started to laugh, and with that, Harry said good-bye, took hold or the sock along with the Weasley's and was gone.  
  
Harry felt the familiar tug just behind his naval and just as he clutched the sock, they came to a halt in the Weasley's kitchen. "Harry!" Mrs. Weasley said turning around from the stove and ran over and gave him a hug. "Hi Harry!" said Hermione, sitting at the scrubbed wooden table playing some sort of card game with Ginny. Harry had to do a double-take. Hermione looked completely different from the last time Harry had seen her.  
  
Her brown hair was grown out to where it just reached her shoulder blades and looked at though it had been kissed by the sun. She had also grown much taller and a bit curvy. Her eyes were bright and contained the laughter that Hermione had always carried with her no matter where she went. She looked had a polished, refined look about her- a look which some of the most gorgeous women in the world never obtain. Yes, Hermione was now a woman, and a quite beautiful one at that. "What's the matter, Harry?" Hermione asked quizzically. "Oh, N-nothing!" "Yes, she was the same girl at heart though" Harry chuckled to himself. "Still a little know-it-all..." 


	4. Chapter 4

Later that day, after Harry unpacked his things and got settled, Harry, Ron and Hermione went outside and took turns playing wizard's chess. Ron, of course, won each time, and Hermione and Harry took turns playing him. When it began to get dark, Mrs. Weasley called them in to eat dinner. They ate a delicious meal, certainly the best Harry had had in a long time. After they ate, they went to bed. As Harry lay awake, staring up at Ron's ceiling listening to Ron's snoring, he began to think. He hadn't been able to talk to Hermione alone at all that day. He hadn't even been given the chance. How could he find out if she liked Ron or not if he couldn't even talk to her? He began to have second thoughts. Maybe he shouldn't try to play match- maker. Maybe he should just stay out of his friend's love lives. Maybe Ron had already told her...No, he could cross that one out...What would he do? Harry feel asleep, and woke up late the next morning.  
  
Hermione and Ron were already downstairs when he finally forced himself out of bed. He walked down the stairs sleepily and found Ron, Fred, and George all playing Quidditch outside, with Hermione watching from below, with no apparent interest. This, Harry thought, was his chance. "Um, Hermione?" "Yeah, Harry?" "Do you want to come in and get some breakfast with me?" "Oh, sure" She pulled herself up off of the grass and walked inside with him. He picked two pieces of toast off of a plate in the kitchen and sat down at the scrubbed table with Hermione. "So, Hermione, I haven't really got to ask you how your summers been going" "Oh, it's been going really well! I already visited Viktor he came over to my house too! But...Ron didn't seem to keen to hear about it. I don't know why he doesn't like Viktor..." 'I know why....' thought Harry. "Speaking of Ron..." Harry began. "he's a really nice guy isn't he...." "Uh, yeah....he's a good friend of mine..." "He's really.....honorable....""Uh, Harry? Where are you going with this? I mean, why are you telling me this?" Harry heaved a sigh. Hermione knew him too well to be interrogated by him and not know it. "Well, the thing is Hermione, I think that, well, I think Ron might like you. He hasn't actually said anything!" Harry replied quickly, seeing Hermione's mouth open in protest. "Well, why would you even think that?" Hermione asked Harry, a puzzled expression drawing on her face. "Oh come on, Hermione! You have HAD to notice it... He got so mad when you went with Krum to the Yule Ball." Harry pointed out. "Yes, but he said it was because Viktor was competing against you!" "But, Hermione, he asked Fluer, and so was she." Hermione's eyes opened wide, and she stared at the ground. "Oh, Harry, what'll I do? I don't really like him like that...at least I don't think I do. What if I do?? But I don't know for sure. Oh, why does Ron have to do this?!" Hermione heaved a deep sigh, and looked across the table at Harry. "Harry, this has got me so confused." "I know, I feel bad." Harry said. "I probably should have minded my own business. "No, it's all right Harry. For all I know, I like Ron too. The fact is, I have thought about him a little different recently. But I never linked it to maybe liking him- like that... But now that you mention it... It kinda matches up." "Really?" Harry asked, not really all that surprised. "Yes, but saying I do. How do I act around him? Do I not say anything at all?" I duno, Hermione, this isn't really my expertise..." "Ugh, I guess I should tell him, huh?" 


	5. Chapter 5

"I think you should do whatever you think is right..." Harry said, trying to sound as if he had a clue about what he was saying. "I'll tell him eventually." Hermione said, then adding "But hey, who says I have to tell him? You said that you think he maybe likes me. I am just going to wait things out...See how it all goes when we get back to school." Then Hermione and Harry walked back outside to Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George.  
  
A few uneventful days later, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys went to Diagon Ally for their school supplies. They went to Gringotts first, getting money, then to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. After getting the books they would be needing for next year, they went and got lunch. After that they went into the pet shop, Hermione wanted a brush for Crookshanks. She was thinking that maybe if she brushed out his hair, it wouldn't look so matted.  
  
As Harry and Ron dragged Hermione into Quality Quidditch Supplies, all three stopped dead in their tracks. Standing up at the checkout counter was none other that Draco Malfoy and his father. If looked as though they were buying some sort of broom cleaner. Draco looked up, and saw them, said something to his father, then walked out to them.  
  
"Oh look, it's Potty, Weasel, and their friend the bushy-haired mud- blood" Draco sneered.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy!" Ron said menacingly.  
  
"And if I don't, what are you going to do about it?"  
  
"This!" Ron said, giving Draco such an almighty punch that he landed face-down on the cement. Draco's father, apparently watching from the store window came running out, and before he could see who the culprit was, Harry, Ron and Hermione took off running down the pavement.  
  
"Oh Ron, you really shouldn't have done that..." said Hermione, out of breath from their escape.  
  
"Come on Hermione! He had it coming, you know that!"  
  
"Hermione's right, Ron. Draco will tell his dad what happened, and Lucius will take it out on your dad." Harry pointed out.  
  
"What possible effect could that great git have on my dad?" said Ron, glancing around, making sure no one was listening.  
  
"I don't know," began Hermione "but he holds a lot of power with the Ministry. I would hate to see your dad lose his job or something."  
  
" Lucius couldn't have that kind of effect on my dad, could he?" said Ron, worrieddly.  
  
"I hope not." said Harry.  
  
The following days that came before Harry's departure for Hogwarts were relatively uneventful. They had heard nothing from Lucius, which was good sign. As Harry, Ron and Hermione packed up their belongings the night before they left for Hogwarts, Hedwig soared in through an open window with a piece of parchment clutched tightly in her beak. She tossed it on the bed, and flew into her open cage. Harry had been leaving her cage door open, allowing her to fly in and out as she pleased, trying to make up for the time she was cooped up in the Dursley's. Harry picked up the parchment and read it:  
  
Harry!  
  
How are you! I hope you and Hermione and Ron are doing good. I'm glad Hedwig paid me a visit so I could send you a letter. It is great where I am! Very warm, I won't say exactly where in case this letter is intercepted or something. Well, I won't keep you long, I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you. Good luck on your fifth year at Hogwarts!  
  
Snuffles  
  
"I really miss Sirius." Said Harry, re-reading the letter. After all of his things were packed and ready to go, Harry Ron and Hermione went to bed. 


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6  
  
On platform 9 and 3/4, Mrs. Weasley gave each of her children, plus Harry and Hermione kisses and watched them board the Hogwarts Express. After Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny found a compartment, they sat down. After about 15 minutes, the felt the train begin to move.  
  
"I wonder who's teaching Defense Against The Dark Arts this year..." Hermione wondered out loud.  
  
"No clue." said Ron.  
  
"Wouldn't it be awful if they finally gave it to Snape?" Harry said, thinking about what Snape would be like if he had the position. After they had been going for about an hour and a half. Their compartment door slid open, and the people that Harry, Ron, and Hermione least wanted to see, appeared.  
  
It was Draco Malfoy, with his usual flunkies, Crabb and Goyle. But there was someone new with them.  
  
"These morons are a real piece of work..." Draco said to the boy Harry, Ron,  
  
Hermione, and Ginny didn't know.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy! How's your jaw, by the way?" sneered Ron, menacingly.  
  
"Oh shove it, Weasel... I want you idiots to meet a friend of mine. This is my cousin, Ramses. But we all call him Ram. He's in our year. He just trasferred from Durmstrang. Seems him mother and father don't like the new headmaster, since Karkaroff left..."  
  
"Great Malfoy, but why are you telling us? You make it seem as though we care..." said Hermione, uninterested.  
  
"Lets go, Draco..." said Ram, pulling his cousin out of the compartment, Crabb and Goyle following close behind.  
  
"Well Ram's not bad looking..." said Ginny, looking at Hermione.  
  
"GINNY! Don't even kid about something like that!" said Ron in disgust.  
  
"Oh come on, Ron. Hermione, didn't you think that he was cute?" Ginny asked.  
  
"I don't, well, you see..." Hermione tried to make a point, to no avail.  
  
"Oh nevermind!" said Ginny, rolling her eyes.  
  
After a short while, Fred and George entered the compartment.  
  
"Look what we've invernted! Couldn't show you at the house... Mum would have gone mad at us!" Fred said, holding up a candy colored in bright green paper.  
  
"We're not eating that thing...are you mad?!" said Ron, exasperated. "We haven't forgotten Dudley and the Ton-Tounge Toffee..."  
  
"Fine, we'll try it out on Draco or that git of a cousins hes got lurking around with him...it'll be great!"  
  
"Make sure you let us know when you do it," said Ron, "we want to see what happens!"  
  
"Okay, see you guys later!" and Fred and George. 


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7  
  
In practically no time with, thankfully, no more run-ins with Draco, Ram, Crabb, or Goyle, they arrived at Hogwarts. After cambering off the train, they saw Hagrid at once, who stood out due to his enormus stature. "Hi Hagrid!" Harry yelled. Hagrid turned, to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione all waving vigorusly at him.  
  
"Well, hello there! Had a good summer, I hope?"  
  
"Yeah, we did!" Harry yelled, and he and Ron and Hermione went to find a horseless carrige. When they found one that was empty, the climbed inside and sat down. With a great lurch, the carrige began its trip up to the great castle doors. "Ron, I bet you'll make the Quidditch team! I know you will, you played great all summer!" Harry said, trying to ease Ron's nerves. All people interested in trying-out would be trying out the next evening out on the Quidditch pitch. It was no lie either, Ron's playing had greatly improved since the summer before.  
  
"You really think so?" Ron said, his face hopeful.  
  
"YES Ron! I think you played awesome, and I know nothing about Quidditch or Wonky Faints!" Hermione exclaimed. Ron blushed a deep scarlet color, and didn't say anything else.  
  
When they were in the corridor leading to the Great Hall, they came across Fred and George again.  
  
"Hi" said Fred and George together, laughing.  
  
"What's so funny?" asked Ron, "You didn't give Malfoy or his cousin that candy yet, did you?"  
  
"No, but you'll never guess what we got to see!" George howled laughing, as Fred tried hard to breathe through his laughter.  
  
"What!? What did you see?" asked Ron eagerly.  
  
"Draco and the Ram, or whatever his name is, they were I guess being a bit fresh with this new fifth year girl, I guess what they said was bad, because all of the sudden, she had them both in a headlock!" George gasped, laughing so hard his eyes were tearing.  
  
"Yeah, and she also started screaming practically every single hex she could think of! Ram I think got off easy, but Draco had to go to see Madam Pompfrey!" Fred said, gasping for air. Hermione, Harry, and Ron began laughing histarically and made their way into the Great Hall.  
  
They sat down and listened to the Sorting Ceremony, which seemed to take forever. Unsuprisingly, Draco's cousin Ram was sorted into Slytherin. When it was finally finished, the feast began. Hermione, Ron, and Harry filled themselves with delicious food until they could eat no more and then just talked with the students around them.  
  
After everyone had finished eating, Dumbledore cleared his throat and said "Now that we are all full, I would like your attention once again. I would like to announce the new Prefects. The Hogwarts staff and myself would like to mention that we chose our selectees not only by high marks, but leadership abilities, and merit. We have chosen four students from each house. Please hold your applause until the end. For Hufflepuff, we decided upon Hannah Abbot, Fiona Harris, Chloe Goodwin, and Roseanna Lee. For Gryffindor, we chose Parvati Patil, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley (Ron was utterly surprised by this news, and knocked over hs goblet of pumpkin juice), and Harry Potter. For Ravenclaw, we chose Erica England, Caroline Spinnet, Megan Carter, and Hearten Callian. For Slytherin, we chose Pansy Parkinsen, Millicent Bulstrode, Draco Malfoy, and Ramses Malfoy." At the mention of Ram, the Great Hall Broke out into whispers. But as soon as Dumbledore began to speak again, the Hall quieted down. "Now I know that most of you are not familiar with Ramses, because he is new here this year. I would like to share with you my reasoning in giving him this postion. When Ramses applied to be transfered to Hogwarts, he was given glowing recomendations from his past professors, who informed me of Ramses high marks, outstanding leadership qualities, and good character. After speaking with Ramses himself, I feel he would do a fine job in this position. I would like you all to make Ramses feel welcome, as we do not ordinarily get new students that are not in the first year. I think applause is nessacery for our new Prefects." Applause thundered in the Great Hall.  
  
"Now, Prefects?" Dumbledore began again, "Kindly show our new students to their dorms, and please arrive at my office tomorrow morning at 6:30 to go over your duties as Prefects. Bed, everyone!"  
  
After Harry, Ron, and Hermione showed the new Gryffindors their dorms, they all wento bed. All three going to bed as their heads hit their pillows. 


End file.
